The biggest protests to happen in Uzbekistan since 2005 broke out on 1 July, leaving 21 dead and 243 injured, according to official sources.
The unrest occurred in the autonomous region of Karakalpakstan, which makes up 40% of Uzbekistan’s territory. The Uzbek authorities claimed that “forces from abroad” were behind the clashes, which arose in response to changes to the country’s constitution that would have reduced Karakalpakstan’s autonomy. But experts point to the region’s poor socio-economic and environmental situation as the driving force behind the protests.
The violence in Karakalpakstan, and its aftermath, were shrouded in secrecy thanks to an internet shutdown. The unrest comes at a time when Uzbekistan has been telling its citizens – and the international community – that the government is shaking off its authoritarian past. Indeed, the constitutional reform was presented to the Uzbek public as part of this move towards modernisation.
